Mike Jones If you are still asking “Who is Mike Jones?”, then you haven’t copped the new album “The Voice” that just hit stores. Check out this exclusive interview with Mike Jones talking about his long awaited return, his new marketing techniques, the new hot single “Next to You”, and much much more! Check out this exclusive interview with Mr. Jones!
by Rob Schwartz
WHO?MAG: Tell me about the new album “The Voice”. Mike Jones: I call it “The Voice” because it speaks for itself. I had to call it that because a lot of people were wondering what was going on and where has he been at and what’s been the hold up. I just wanted to end all of the questions and give them nothing but hits with this one.
WHO?MAG: So why so long between albums? Mike Jones: Politics.
WHO?MAG: With the last album, you had a real strategic marketing campaign with “Who is Mike Jones” by releasing your phone number. Are you planning to do anything strategic with this release? Mike Jones: I got some pull now and everyone wants to hear what is going on and what Mike Jones has to say. It came a point where everyone started to copy me and do the phone number game now. It’s back to the drawing board. But at one point, they thought I was kidding when I was doing that, you know what I’m saying?
WHO?MAG: Tell me about the new single “Next to You”. Mike Jones: “Next to You”. That’s a record where everybosy who wants to be next to that special somebody but can’t be next to that special somebody, that’s a record for them. I made that record because I personally experienced it and I made the record because I know the world experienced it as well.
WHO?MAG: The song “Mr. Jones” was a pretty hot song. Why do you thing the song never really took off? Mike Jones: Politics. There are a lot of reasons why and I expressed that on “The Voice”. That is why I called it that, so oyu can here from me what happened and why there was a delay. A lot of people don’t know what happened. They just know the outsiders are telling them. “Oh, Mr. Jones came out and it flopped”. What people don’t knw is that when it was released to radio, the whole urban staff of the label was let go from work so no one could work the record.
WHO?MAG: Do you plan on working with Mike Diesel again? Mike Jones: Oh yeah, for sure. That’s homie right there.
WHO?MAG: How did you link up with JR Rotem? Mike Jones: Actually, in 2006 we linked up and he was down to work with me and I was like “cool”. Next thing you know, we got in the studio and we did “Next to You”.
WHO?MAG: Tell me about Souf Folk? Mike Jones: That was my old group. That was from way back at the very, very, very beginning. That’s when I first was coming out and I was trying to see where everthing was going. It was a good experience and helped me take my turn on to the next level.
WHO?MAG: Tell me abot the whole Houston Dynamo situation with the song “Houston Dynamo Don’t Play”. Mike Jones: I did a record on my album called “I Don’t Play Around” and they heard the track and they wanted me to put a little spin on it for thet Houston Dynamo’s. When I put the spin on it, they won the championship and they did it again. We did it back to back. It was a wrap after that.
WHO?MAG: Do you think you would ever record with Paul Wall or Slim Thug again? Mike Jones: I mean if politics wont get in the way.
WHO?MAG: How do you feel about the state of hip-hop today? Mike Jones: It’s alright with me. I mean they are accepting Mike Jones and they like what I’m playing so we’re good in my eyes.
WHO?MAG: What type of advice can you give an upcoming rapper? Mike Jones: Stay on your grind and don’t give up. Learn the politics, baby.
WHO?MAG: How do you think this economy is affecting hip-hop right now? Mike Jones: It’s effecting everything, not just hip-hop. It’s effecting everything. A lot of people are cutting back on a lot of stuff. People are just “being able to not being able to”. It’s not just the state of hip-hop. Everything is crashing.
WHO?MAG: What’s next for Mike Jones? Mike Jones: I got more music, more albums, and more people to get down with. Mike Jones is back and not going anywhere.
